The above functions are needed for the daily movement of volumes, but it is not enough.
In case of a disaster wiping out your TSM server and library, you need certain information to enable you to rebuild your TSM server.
Information like :
- The placement and size of database volumes.
- The placement and size of log volumes.
- Which volume contains your last database backup.
- Which licenses where enabled.
- How where your libaries and drives defined.
- And much more...
TSMManager collects all this information automatically and will print and/or e-mail this information for you.
What is vaulting ?
Vaulting is the process of removing volumes from libraries, moving them to a safe place (vault), waiting for them to become empty and then return them to the libraries for renewed use.
This requires several functions :
- Identify which library volumes are eligible for movement to the vault.
- Checkout these volumes from the libraries.
- Inform the operator about these volumes so he/she can remove them from the library and physically move them to the vault.
- Identify which volumes, that are currently in the vault, have become empty and should be returned for other use.
- Inform the operator about these volumes so he/she can retrieve them from the vault and bring them back onsite.
- Check the returned volumes into the libraries.
The vaulting function of TSMManager is a complete replacement for Tivoli's DRM feature.
It will handle everything necessary with regard to moving tapes out of libraries, producing pull-lists for operators, returning volumes and checking them in to libraries. Everything runs scheduled and without manual intervention. (Except for the physical movement of volumes, of course)
It will handle :
- Copypool volumes
- Primary pool volumes
- Database backups, both full/incr and snapshot
- Backupsets
It will also generate a recovery plan with all needed support files and let you store it in a safe place in case your TSM server dies and needs to be rebuilt.